Yielding barrier roadway network construction



Aug. 5, 1952 E. D. sAwYx-:R

YIELDING BARRIER ROADWAY NETWORK CONSTRUCTION F'led`Feb. 25, 1946 Mmmm l'nuenzo Emerson D. aa/y @y Mzdbzm Horney Patented Aug. 5, 17952' v vto obtain a taut horizmtal net Astructure without the use of'auxiliaryi'netsuspension devices which must be replaced manually after an impact test.

" A. third object 4is to provide `means `for obtaining a' taut'horizontallydisposed roadwaynet- 1 work,` without appreciable vsafgeven on roadways far wider than heretoforegattempted;without the use of additional `counterweight the retrieving mechanism of ythe yielding` barrier.

Another object of lmy 'invention is toprovide ya rmeans for substitutiorjiy .off `,this new fimproved net construction -onvexis'ting yielding barrier devices, so as to obtaina more taut net' arrangement both for architectural desirability and efciency of opglai'QD-s f i V other objects will appear hereinafter. Y

' The invention consists inthe combination-and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be bestunderstood by reference to the accompanyingy drawing forming a part of' this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a partial elevational view of the lower part ofthe barrier structure, showingy the net in full outline inits lowered position, and also showing the net in a .possible extended position and embodyingtheinyention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the motor column of the yielding-rl barrier taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, butwith the full length of the column showing.

Figure 3 is an enlarged front View of one end of the yielding barrier net showing its association with the drum box portion of the barrier mechanism as fully described in my above mentioned patent application, Serial No. 354,299, led August 26, 1940, resulting in Patent No. 2,324,726, dated July 20, 1943.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of th yielding barrier net taken on line 4 4 of F'igure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail view taken on the line 5-5 QOBISTIIHJc'rIoNI a QiEmerson DQSaWyer, Chicago,lf1vll.rji. u ma eurams'. (otite- 328i i of Fig. 4 showingthe'secondarycable passing slidable vvthrough ferrule of an intermediate Spreaderzif i Referring'Y toFigurefi and yFigure 2, the Vnumeral I indicates oneof 'thetwo columns of the barrier structure whichserve tosustain the `barriernetwork. Now,.re ferringto AFigures 1 and 3; this barrier'networl` iscomposed of `top @cable 2 Yand' center'cable 3;:(1901760111 03101643 Ver'l belting strips 5,' diagonal; caln'rl'esv vjbendable stiffeners 1; rigid net'endspreaders 8,jcatenary;sus pension cable '9gand its 'endtake-"up eye bolts IIB, which are tte'd'with 'square'shanks II so as to slip in square sockets I2 attached to rigid angle irons 8. .Y V Y .o

AThe means used to suspend the network between 'columnsl .consists of'payout lcables i3 and I4 at eachend of` thefnet, Vwhich pass vinto drum boxes llandjare attachedl to drums as shown and described.'

As's'hownin .Figure 1 andFigureZ, drum boxes I5 aremountedls'o asfto bemoved vertically in columns I by 4means .of sprocket chains I6, engagingsprockets 4I'I and I8.. Sprocket'll in 'motor column I is .driven by speed reducer` I9,

which in turnis driven by niotor 20. A synchroynizing top shaft 25' extending between the colums I serves to synchronize the motion'of the parts in each of the columns I-as top sprockets I 8 are securedfto shaftZE, henceboxes I5 move vup `and ldowniin `'columns I .inv unison; The 'cables 2l which pass upwardlin'the: columns' I fromy each obox'es. I5 'pass around sheaves 2i! mounted'.v torevolve onfshaftv 25, and thence down .aroundQsleayes 24 '.of `counterweights 23,

'which .counterweightsiza' ,are both` the 'means for balancing boxes VI54 angd n'ieansfor retrieving the network-after the Dayout'cables; 13j and I4 have been lextremisd tQnQStins Such Las 'I 3d. and lia- The 'counterweiglitsilf23; are made; to'rise `to positions vsuch as 23a when the payoutcables E3 and Mare extended to positions such as ISa and .I 4a.' jIhis raising ;0f counterweights 23 due to extending payoutv cables [Sand I4 generates able sag due to not having the counterweights 23 excessively large. With the catenary cable 9 built into the network, the retrieving pull of payout cables i3 and I4 communicate to rigid end angle irons 8 and thence thru eyebolts I0 to catenary cable 9 which when adjusted so as to take a heavy percentage of the suspension load of the network, produces a practically taut and straight-acrosslthe-roadway net when observed visually. The stiiieners Tkeep the main cables of the net in a vertical plane and the placing of the catenary cable 9 well above the center of gravity at any point on the net, so as to avoid having the net tend to roll over into a v i warped surface, produces a workable straightacross-the-roadway network eiilciently` able to as it lits the contour of the roadway surface and at the same time presents practically the same height of cable above. the roadwaysurfacefor substantially the full width of the roadway.

In cases where the crown of the roadway surface isv very pronounced, the network can even be made to apparently arch upward by taking up more slack on .the C atenarycable at the adjustable end eyebolts I0; .Y j

The catenary cable Sin'its passage along` the network from end to endfpassesfreely thru loops 26 as shown in Figurei, whereas the main cables 2, 3, and 4 are attached tightly though not rigidly to the stiieners 1. This arrangement allows for catenary cable 9 adjustment without distortion of the other connections inthe network.

Further, my present invention of an adjustable catenary cable type of network suspension forV yielding barriers is applicable for use on any type of yielding' barrier having a flexible roadway network supported in tension between the columns 4or standards and can be substituted thereon to enhance the architectural appearance and efficiency of any such barrier device. While I have illustrated and described a suitable embodiment for carrying the invention into use, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such combination, modication, and variations as may fall within the spiritandscope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a yielding barrier of the class described having upper and lower payout cables, a roadway net stretched therebetween, a catenary tension member associated with the net, the ends of the catenary member terminated in adjustable devices located adjacent the top main net member, connections to the upper payout cables and slipjoint connections between the catenary tension member and the body of the net for freeing the catenary member from excessive impact stresses when the cables of the net are strained by impact.

2. A net for a yielding barrier extending in a vertical plane from and between two spaced supporting columns transversely across a roadway,

- 4 said net comprising upper and lower payout cables for resisting trafiic impact, attached at their respective ends to said columns, a rigid spreader at each end of the net secured to and spaced between said upper and lower payout cables adjacent each column, -bendable stieners spaced at intervals along said net. and a catenary suspension cable woven in hanging catenary pattern passing'throughsaidfbendable stiieners attached to andadjacent the tops of said rigid spreaders and the whole net being supported by said payout cables. .Y 3. A pair of hollowv columns, two primary flexible catenary cables stretched therebetween, winding drums and attached counterweights positioned within said columns, a pair of rigid vertical spreaders attached to said primary cables adjacent the face of each column, intermediate vertical spreaders having loops, mounted at their upper and lower ends on said primary catenary cables, a secondcatenary cable passed through said loops andlattached to and stretched between said.` rigid verticalv spreaders, `and adjustable means in connection withV the secondary catenary cable for length control, thereof, thereby shaping the flexible network between the rigid'spreaders int-o a'vertical rectangle hanging in a vertical plane.

4. A yieldingbarrierl net comprising a pair of flexible upper and lower horizontal cables in spaced relation, and semi-iiexible vertical bendable stiieners attached thereto across a roadway between sadupper Iand lower horizontal cables, a pair of opposed. columns having counterweightsv movable vertically-` in 4said columns, a secondary catenary cable attached at its ends to said upper horizontal cable adjacent said columns, for supporting` that portion of the net between its points of attachment,v said rsecondary catenary cable woven tov said bendable stiffeners with its whole-length arranged above the center of gravity of the net having ,a sag well in excess of any sag of the said upper and lower horizontal cablesA of the het, and mechanical means for adjusting the tautness ofA said secondary catenary cable tov 'align the net horizontally.

i EMERSON D. SAWYER.

REFERENCES CITED The yfollowing references are` of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 403,433 ,Kosier May 14, 1889 417,054 Little Dec. 10, 1889 438,070 Eddy Oct. 7, 1890 591,832 Fisher, Oct. 19, 1897 643,175 Warner Feb. 13, 1900 2,324,726 Sawyer July 20, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 329,121 Germany Nov. 13, 1920 

